Shortly after 9/11 twelve years ago, the federal government created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to protect air travel and prevent similar attacks. In 2012, the TSA had a budget of $8.1 billion, and while it claims to improve airport security, it fails to do so. Additionally, their checkpoints are privacy-invasive and cumbersome, negatively impacting the air travel industry. For these reasons, the agency should be abolished.
As a response to the 9/11 attacks, one would expect that the TSA would improve airport security. In reality, it's just security theater. Originally, the use of metal detectors and luggage x-rays in airport security checkpoints was enough. However, on December 25, 2009, an inbound international flight was the target of an attempted bomb plot. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab got past security screening and successfully boarded the plane with explosives packed in his underwear. He nearly succeeded in detonating the bomb, but the detonation didn't go as planned and passengers overpowered him before he could fix the detonation[0]. As a result, the TSA increased the use of full-body scanners to replace metal detectors. Before the 2009 attack, there were only 40 full-body scanners in use across 19 airports. After the attack, the government planned to have over 1000 machines in use by the end of 2011. However, the expensive machines are ineffective. In 2010, TV personality Adam Savage unintentionally managed to get two 12" long razor blades through security[1]. In 2011, an undercover TSA agent was able to successfully pass through the scanners with a handgun in her underwear, repeatedly[2]. The TSA is clearly incapable of creating a truly safe airport checkpoint, and is becoming less effective the longe...
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...ate its transportation security program.
Works Cited
[0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Christmas_Day_bomb_plot
[1] http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20023820-71.html
[2] http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/TSA-Agent-Slips-Through-DFW-Body-Scanner-With-a-
Gun-116497568.html
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millimeter_wave_scanner
[4] http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/06/26/tsa-pats-down-elderly-woman- removes-adult-diaper-video [5] http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/05/11/baby-receives-pat-down-at-kansas-city-airport-video
[6] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/business/airport-screening-is-still-a- pain-fliers-complain.html [7] http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/travelers-say-they%E2%80%99ll- skip-the-airport-and-hit-the-road-in-2011 [8] http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/12/travel.screening
[9] http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/airlines-profit-more-by-flying-less
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